


Allies

by carmshiii



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Growth, Nostalgia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:55:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24373123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carmshiii/pseuds/carmshiii
Summary: Chris takes her nephew to the train station towards an alchemy teacher, his first time away from Central. She tries to give him a lesson in surprising people.
Relationships: Chris "Madam Christmas" Mustang & Roy Mustang
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16
Collections: Moms Made Fullmetal Week 2020





	Allies

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2 of Moms Made Fullmetal Week 2020. Enjoyy!

The train station is full of people this Thursday noon. It was stupid to think that the station would be emptier because it is in the middle of the day on a Thursday but Chris completely forgot about the launch of two new steam trains in Central Station. The entire platform is filled with people, both here for the launch and traveling to God knows where.

“I told you we should’ve left earlier, hurry up, you slowpoke. Don’t let your tardiness be the reason your alchemy teacher sends you back here next week.” She wasn’t supposed to be the one to send him off, but Annika had a family emergency and the rest of the girls are on their day jobs and day-offs and Chris couldn’t bear to disturb them on their rest day. Chris turned to her nephew, Roy, who was stretching on his tiptoes to look over the mass of people and she noticed that his pant leg is now a bit short. The boy hit another growth spurt. That’s twice in a week. He’ll get even taller and soon be taller than her.

“Well, it wasn’t my fault that the train ticket was moved from the shelf I was keeping it in,” Roy grumbles about how people should just leave his stuff where it is because that’s exactly where he’s going to look for it. But living with women who like to fuss over him and clean after him, that would be impossible.

“Those are train tickets. It’ll be even worse if you lost it by leaving it everywhere, you know. Besides, it wasn’t even about the tickets. Who was it that was so excited about leaving, he couldn’t sleep and took a tiny nap in the bathroom that lasted two hours? Everyone thought you were already in your room getting ready already.” Chris rolled her eyes. Her nephew had the ability to sleep in the oddest places like a cat.

Chris remembered how two members of the military police entered her small bar seven years ago bearing the news that her brother and his wife perished in a car accident and her three-year-old nephew was hurt but is alive and resting in the nearest hospital. She kept up a correspondence with her brother who decided to live in the country in a small family house with his wife and son. Chris would often open his letters and would find several photos of him and his family, his new radiant wife and baby boy standing in front of a white porch, looking positively happy.

She planned to visit but instead of using the money for train tickets, she had been saving up to purchase the bar in which she was working as a bartender for years. The owner is planning to retire and had promised her that once she got the payment and the bar is hers. A year later, she sent her brother a photo of her grinning behind the bar with a little sign that says, “Mustang’s”.

Chris only saw her nephew in photos and he only saw her photos. And as the last remaining relative, she was given the choice to take in the child, or else he would be entered into the orphanage. Without hesitation, she took in Roy.

Looking at her nephew now, it was very different when she saw him standing behind her bedroom door, tousled black hair and tear-filled dark eyes, clutching a tiny bear and asking if she could “shoo the monsters in his room” because his father used to do that when he’s scared. The poor boy is missing his parents. Chris caved in that night and asked if he’d like to sleep in hers now because monsters are afraid of her and wouldn’t bother him if he slept here. She woke up that morning with drool on her arm and a four-year-old boy snuggled against her side.

Chris made a mental note to send one of the girls to go and buy more clothes for Roy because given the rate that he’s growing, he’s going to need more.

A train whistle interrupted her as Roy took her wrist and dragged her over to the waiting area, his beat-up brown luggage hitting several people in the shins. Chris quietly apologized to them and let her nephew drag her to a bench. The train Roy needs to take is arriving in 10 minutes and she couldn’t help but notice that Roy gets more fidgety as the clock slowly crawls overhead. He smooths back his hair, picks lint off his trousers and fixes his collar in an effort to contain his nerves

Roy glances at the clock, his eyes widen and he mutters, “Eight minutes.” before his knee goes bouncing up and down again, clearly agitated.

Chris sighs and patted the young boy’s knee. “You’ll do fine. Don’t worry about it. He’s not going to eat you.”

She found out about this Hawkeye person from one of the girls who learned from an officer that this man was a very talented alchemist who refuses to join their ranks due to some unknown reason. Apparently he has taken in some students for a fee, so Chris wrote him a letter to ask him and in a week, she received his approval and she was told to send her nephew the next month.

“What if he’s scary? What if he thinks I’m just a city boy who just wanted to experience country life to look cool for my friends?” Roy rambles.

She chuckled under her breath. “So? You prove him wrong. You show him you deserve to learn. Make him see that you’re worth his time. I told you before right? Who cares what other people think?” Chris turned to him. “People take things at a face value, they are quick to judge. Use that. Surprise him and show him what you’re capable of.” Chris stared at the face very much like her brother’s, that same gleam in their eyes. Like him, Roy is very persistent. So persistent to the point of annoyance. 

His knee stops bouncing, a small smile slips into his face with a hint of mischief. “You think so?”

She placed her hand on his shoulder. “I know so. You’re like someone I knew. He wanted to travel the world, to see things he’s never seen before.” Chris leans back as the memory takes her again.

“That’s my father, right?” the boy asks, the same small smile on his face. Chris nodded, “We came from a poor family. My parents worked hard but not enough. I decided against college and went to work in a small store in town. But my brother was smart enough to go to college. They said he couldn’t do it and have been waiting for his return to town after the ‘tragic college attempt’. Wouldn’t you know, he became involved with the peace treaties in Xing and they were invited there for possible negotiation.” Chris beamed with pride as she remembered the shock of the town that the would-be-college reject was now one of the ambassadors of Amestris to Xing.

Roy hummed. “That’s where he met my mom, right?”

Once again, she nodded. Her brother had everything. The house, the career, and a family. Until it was all gone in a flash.

Chris cleared her throat. “My point is, if he turns out to be judgmental, let him. Sometimes, being underestimated is a good thing.” She flashed him a wink, and Roy laughed out loud.

His laugh was cut short by a train whistle, as emerging from the smoke, Roy’s train arrives. It slowly crawls to a stop and slowly opens its doors and the bustle of people get on.

Both of them rose up and walked towards the doors. “Now remember, it’s the country. People are not going to do stuff for you. You have to pull your own weight, okay. You have to wake up at dawn, don’t let them even wake you up. Help around the house and show them that you are raised in a house that expects cleanliness. For God’s sake, don’t leave your stuff everywhere.”

“Aunt Chris, I’m going to be fine,” Roy reassures her. “I’m going to leave all my horrible traits here. Once they let me live there, they’ll be so impressed, they won’t let me leave. I mean I’m awesome, who can resist me?”

“Brat.” Chris reaches out and ruffles the boy’s hair while he tries to swat her hands away. “You write, okay? The girls will be sad if we don’t hear from you in a month. If you don’t I’m personally coming down there to whoop your butt.”

Roy smiles at her. “Take care, Aunt Chris. I’ll see you soon.” Chris just smiles in return as Roy turns away and disappears into the train.

She stays on the platform to watch the train go. A week later Roy sends his first letter, filled with how his alchemy lessons are (she honestly glossed over those as it was filled with a lot of scientific terms, she can barely keep up). He went on about his alchemy master, who is incredibly smart but is somewhat a recluse so he leaves him alone after lessons. Chris breathes a sigh of relief when Roy tells of another child, the master’s daughter, Riza, and how she taught him how to plant tomatoes in the yard and various chores around the house. So he isn’t exactly alone there.

Until now, years later, Christmas still keeps that letter and all the letters from Roy in a box under her bed, along with her brother’s old things.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted make a series of letters from Roy to Chris during his time with the Hawkeyes. Should I go do that?
> 
> Again, kudos and comments are very much appreciated.


End file.
